Outcast

Amanda and Scott walked side-by-side across the deserted parking lot to the now-empty stage area, Scott seeming quite at home as they made their way to the rear of the set-up; Amanda, not so much.

She watched her feet pass the garbage-stained concrete as they neared the other teenagers – talking to one stranger she could deal with, but crowds made her anxious, and especially today she just couldn’t handle one more thing screwing up.

Scott stopped suddenly a moment later, Amanda having to take a step back so that she didn’t run into his back.

“Hey Scott,” one of the boys yelled as soon as they reached the ‘backstage’ area, “Could you help me move the… oh, who’s this?” he trailed off, standing up and brushing off his baggy jeans with an easy smile.

Amanda noticed he was tall and thickset, with shaggy blonde-brown hair and kind eyes—rather like a puppy, she thought.

“This is Amanda, Jamie,” Scott was saying, “she’s new here. And like some other people,” he smirked, “has got herself lost.”

“Nice to meet, you, Amanda,” Jamie said.

Amanda just smiled shyly in greeting, a look that Jamie returned, before he focussed on Scott.

“And haha, very funny,” Jamie said, rolling his eyes as he punched the smaller boy on the arm.

Amanda hadn’t actually said anything as the two boys joked around, just smiled to herself, thinking how strange it was that she had only just met these people and yet she felt more at ease than she did around certain other people she had known for her entire life.

“…I said, you’re not one to talk much, are you?” A sudden voice speaking to her dragged Amanda out of her thoughts, and she realised that Jamie and Scott were both staring at her with amused looks on their faces.

“Oh, um, yeah,” She muttered, blushing a little as she toyed with her hair nervously.

“You weren’t even listening, were you? …just like ‘some people’,” Jamie smirked as he shot a pointed look at Scott.

“Yeah, whatever,” Scott just rolled his eyes, turning his back on Jamie to face Amanda. “So,” he said, grinning, “now you’ve met Jamie, and worked out he’s a smart-arse, let’s move along, shall we?”

“Okay…” Amanda smiled again, then smiled to herself as she thought of something, “just one question, though –- are all of you like that? I mean, as in always having a smart comeback?”

Scott chuckled as he started walking over to the other two –- the singer and the female guitarist, with Amanda following behind.

“Pretty much.”

He didn’t explain any further, because by now he was greeting the third boy –- Jasper, obviously –- and then started to introduce everyone.

“Amanda, this is Jasper,” he motioned to the red-and-black haired boy with a serious countenance, “and Ebony,” he nodded towards the only girl, who was studying Amanda closely.

“Hi, Amanda,” Jasper smiled, his dark eyes meeting her, curiosity evident in them.

“Hi,” Amanda said shyly, finding her voice, and also greeting Ebony, who just smiled, though kindly enough.

A moment passed slightly awkwardly, until Amanda decided to break the silence.

“I saw the show, it was really good…” she said quietly.

“Yeah, I saw you there.” Jasper said, “Glad you had fun,”

“You saw me there…? Stalkerish, much?” Amanda said, making a face.

Jasper just laughed, as Scott explained.

“Umm… well its kind of hard to miss you… the hair, and all?” he said.

“Oh, yeah,” Amanda blushed again, “it is very… blue.”

This time Ebony, who hadn’t said anything the whole time, started to laugh.

“Well,” she said after a second, “understatement of the year, anyone?”

By this time Jamie had finished whatever it was he was doing, and was walking over—he had only caught the end of the conversation, as in, everyone laughing.

“Umm, what’s so funny?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow.

“My hair, I think.” Amanda said, watching as Jamie looked up at her bright blue locks, then back down to her face.

“Well, it is very blue…” he said after a moment, his head tilted to one side.

That statement, of course, set everyone but a somewhat confused Jamie laughing again – even Amanda, who was beginning to feel just a little bit glad that she had come to this town.